Tackle the Pile

Why not start 2011 by tackling the "pile". You know, the paper pile that sits on your kitchen counter or dinning table and stares you down when you're in the room. A solution that has worked for me is using an accordion file holder (photo below).

    The very front of the holder contains a "put away" section for things that need to be filed elsewhere at a later date. The rest of the sections I use are for things I've clipped from magazines that don't necessarily belong in a file cabinet, but that I want to refer to at a later time. You could also have a section for "bills to pay" (I don't do this because I wouldn't look for them in that spot).
    This system really has helped me turn my piles into a organized drop spot. I store the holder on top of my refridgerator for easy access.

Vent and my beef with soy

    Sometimes I feel like I just want to give up trying to eat "clean". It's a ton of work, can be pricey, and people treat you like a freak of nature for being "natural". I feel like most products are pure lies and it gets discouraging.
    Almost every change that's taken place around here has come with a LOT of research. Mostly because I never take what the media or government says at face value.
    Anyway, we've cut way back on our meat/chicken consumption. We don't eat it unless it's grass fed/organic but because of how pricey it is we decided to use more soy products (ie; organic soy milk and tofu). It took me a while to find much information on the topic and now that I have,I am sorry to say that even soy has it's hang-ups (and lots of them). based on the information I found, I've decided to rarely use soy products at all. 


Here's a list of why:
     * Hexane-a chemical that's a known neurotoxin is often used to process soy ingredients
     * Isoflavones (plant based estrogen that mocks human estrogen) found in soy have been linked
        to thyroid issues
     * Study by Journal of Clinical Nutrition gave women with breast tumors a soy drink for 14 days and 
        their tumors increased significantly
     * FDA refers to a study where consumption of soy linked to increased occurance of Alzheimer's
     * Infants given soy formula have estrogen levels 17,000 times higher than infants on other milks

    And that's only SOME of the risks of soy consumption(please read the entire article HERE for further information). Also note that Americans consume much more soy than we realize due to excessive food additives/processing.
The verdict is still out, but until we know for sure, I don't want my family to be part of the experiment. I wish eating safe food didn't have to be so hard.
Thanks for listening to my vent and remember to reduce your exposure!

Resources
Truth About Soy Claims
Boston Globe
Is Soy Healthy?

Snow Day- Cream of Asparagus Soup

Snow on my front window

Big snow storm here today in the Twin Cities. What better way to spend it than enjoying some warm healthy soup?! Found this recipe online and adapted it a bit. It's easy, healthy, and delicious.


Cream of Asparagus Soup
Ingredients
2 Cups tender, chopped, asparagus
1 Cup non-fat milk *
1 Cup chicken broth *
2 Cloves Garlic
1 T butter *
3/4 t Salt

soup that warms the soul

Pepper
optional chopped green onion*, and plain yogurt for garnish
* indicates organic ingredients
Directions
1. bake or boil asparagus until tender (I prefer baking @425 about 15 min)
2. put all ingredients into a food processor or blender and mix til blended (won't be totally smooth)
3. dump soup mixture into pot and heat until warm
4. garnish with green onion and plain yogurt and enjoy!

no matter how cold it may be.....

What DO we eat?

When people find out how "weird" we eat they always seem to ask "then what DO you eat?" Here's what this weeks dinner line up consists of:


   Monday: Baked Salmon Patties with yogurt dill sauce and baked sweet potato fries
   Tuesday: Kale and Brown Rice Casserole 
   Wednesday: Meatless Taco Soup (slow-cooker)
   Thursday: Asian Peanut Noodles Recipe Here
   Friday: Kale, tomato, garlic pizza


I try to plan the next weeks dinner before I grocery shop the previous week. I also try to use certain ingredients a few times. For the above menu I use kale both Tuesday and Friday, so nothing goes to waste. Also, I usually make Monday-Thursday's dinners on Sunday while my husband watches the kids. 
With a little planning and preparation it's totally do-able to have healthy budget-friendly dinners on hand.

Anti-AntiBacterial

     Triclosan is a common ingredient found in antibacterial soaps, toothpaste, household cleaners and more. The scientific community has suggested it's contribution to several health issues:
            * antibiotic-resistient bacteria ("superbugs")
            * identical chemical structure of highly-toxic substance known to cause cancer
            * recently linked to an increased risk of hay fever or allergies

Photo Provided By

     I am a little bit of a germ-o-phob, but we got rid of all our antibacterial soaps (trust me- I HATED parting with my fancy soaps). Numerous studies have proven that plain soap and water are just as effective as their triclosan containing counterparts. 
     In our house we use Trader Joes "Next to Godliness" handsoap. It's important to note that you won't get the typical "sudsing" effect when you use the pure stuff (God only knows it takes some chemical magic to make that stuff suds up like it does).
     Minnesota congresswoman, Betty McCollom has called on the FDA to ban use of the toxic chemical. A full review of the product is expected to congress in April of 2011. In the mean time, please do yourself a favor and be anti-anti-bacterial.
Resources
Anti-Bacterials No More Effective than Soap and water

Congresswoman Calls for ban of Triclosan

Triclosan increases risk of allergies

Organic help for raccoon eyes

I do not wear much make-up. But getting older combined with getting less sleep is the perfect equation for under-eye circles. Getting rid of my conventional-chemical laden make-up was one of the last things I did. Mostly because of the price of organic make-up and I sure as heck wasn't about to go without anything at all.
After lots of research I found NVEY ECO erase concealer and it works pretty well. Unfortunately it's about 30 bucks (I got it half off for $15), but a little goes a long way and for me it will last close to a year. It's worth the price for the peace of mind that I'm not putting harsh chemicals near my eyes on the delicate under-eye skin.
If you decide to purchase this product I recommend putting it on right after your under eye cream for optimal smooth finish and easy application. 


To Order: http://www.econveybeauty.com/_product_87474/Organic_Erase_Corrective_Make-up